Trailer



Patented Een. 2s, 1922. Y

@Hmmm um MNMN KN A m m d D MGM C. Hv. LAND, JR.

TRAILER.

APPLICATION F|LEnJuNEr3.1921.

UNITED STATES PAT ENT OFFICE.

OHABLES H. LAND, JR., 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM H. WILSON, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

TRAILER.

Patented Feb. 28, 1922.

Application mea :une 13, 1921. serial No. 477,030.

To all whom it may concer-n.'

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. LAND, Jr.. a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, county of Wayne, State of Michian, have invented a certain new and useful improvement in Trailers, and declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

y invention relates to means for effecting the automatic coupling of a trailer toa tractor.

One of the features of the present invention is a divided auxiliary movable frame, connected together by spring draw-bars, mounted upon rollers ada ted to traverse the flanges of channel members forming the side sills of the main frame of the trailer.

To the auxiliary frame is bolted the station-v n -t1onal vlew taken on or about line 2 2 of ary 'member of a fifth wheel to which is pivoted the rotatable member of the fifth wheel. Connected with the movable frame is a toggle mechanism or lazy-tongs which when |actuated through the movement of the auxiliary frame is adapted to raise a supporting leg pivoted to the frame of the trailer.

Another feature ofthe invention consists in means for securing the movable frame` in both its initial, and ultimate positions namely, when the leg of the trailer is lowered to support its forward end, or when the leg is raised upon coupling the trailer with a tractor.

A further object of the invention consists in means for manually effecting the alternate locking and releasing of said movable frame at the limit of its movement in either direction. j

A further object of the invention is to provide' for automatically locking the movable frame when the Supporting leg is raised following the coupling of the trailer to a tractor. c v

A further object of the invention consists in providing means whereby the supporting leg is adapted to incline forwardly toward the front of the trailer when not coupled to a tractor; the purpose being to yrelieve the toggle mechanism of stresses due to the weight of the trailer and its load, the construction of the leg being such that the turntable supported thereby will occupy a horizontal position when the leg is inclined that the supporting wheel may be readily adjusted as required.

vWith the foregoing and other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds the invention further resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed it being understood that changes may be made in the recise embodiment of the 'invention hereln disclosed' parts broken away and in section showing the movable frame and toggle mechanism shifted to the limit of its movement as indicated in dotted lines.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical sec- Figure 1.'

.Figure 3-is a fragmentary ldetail view of the slide bar connected with the toggle mechanism, showing the channel member in which the roller carried by the slide bar is guided.

Figure 4 is another fragmentary detail view in vertical cross section of the slide bar, showing stop-blocks secured to the channel members for limiting the movement of the slide bar. l

Figure 5 isa fragmentary elevation of the side sill of the trailer, showing manually operated means for locking and releasing the movable frame sup-ported in the side sills of the trailer, at the limit of its movement in either direction.

Referring nowA to the .letters of reference placed upon the drawings: h

A, denotes a trailer, A the side sills or members of a trailer frame, constructed preferably of channel iron. B, indicates a movable frame, comprising'two sections B and Bb, connected together by a spring draw bar C. The forward part of the movable frame is constructed of channel members b, b, b2, b3 and b* which are riveted or otherwise secured together. b5 b5 and b 6, denote castings riveted to the channel members b and b2 and serve as hangers for the rollers B B which traverse the anges of the side members A of the trailer frame.

D, denotes a stationary member of a fifth the rotatable memberA of the fifth wheel secured to the stationary member D by a king-bolt E. .To the .channel member b2 is rlveted or otherwise secured a casting F- in which is supported al bar G, adaptedI to be engaged bylahook H pinned to a transverse shaft journaled in the casting `H2;-i1u turn' bolted to the end member of the trailer frame.

0 c are draw-bars slidable through the castings b5 b5 and are screwed or otherwise' attached at one end to the castings J, J, slidable in the channels formed by the side 'members A. of the trailer frame. K, denotes a tubular shaft fitted into bosses J8L formed in-the casting J. K' K are sleevesslidable upon the tubular shaft K to which are pivoted toggle arms L, L, the arms being in turn pivoted to a plate L, bolted to the rigid transverse cross member Lb.l L L are toggle arms pivoted at Z to the sleeves K. M denotes a slide bar having lateral extensions at its forward end to which are pivoted'the toggle links L2- L2, which are in turn pivoted to the tog le arms L L. At its opposite end the side bar M is forked'as in-v of the slide-bar in a forward direction. P,

P, are swinging legs pivoted to suitable-castings P'3L secured to the side members A of the trailer frame. Q, Q, are links pivoted to the swinging legs P at one end and at the other end to the ivot pin M, carried by the slide bar M. are cotter pins to secure the links against accidental d islodgment. P is a cross brace of channel iron secured to the swinging legs P, P. P2 isI a central l braceriveted to .the brace P,-to which is secured a circular plate R, which is: also attached to a cross member P3 connecting the lower ends of the swinging leg. S, is a rotable axle member pivoted to the central plate R by a king bolt Tj U, U, denote wheels mounted upon the spindles of the rotatable .axle S. V, V, are rocking hooks mounted on a transverse rock shaft V journaled in the sidemembers A of the trailer adapted to engage lugs Jb extending upwardl from the boss J formed on the castings V is a handley attached to the rock shaft V. Vb is a connecting rod pivoted to X denotes a tractor provided with the usual inclined slide members X leading upwardly to a transverse coupling bar` X2 adapted to be engaged by a latchl member D2 extending downwardly from the rotatable member D of the fifth wheel;-means forming the subject matter of another application being provided to secure the coupling bar in coupling relation with the latch members until manually released.

Having indicated the several parts by reference letters the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood.

The trailer will first be considered as inA position to couple with a tractor,-see Figure 2,-with the yleg for supporting the forward end of the trailer resting upon the ground. The tractonis then backed into the trailer in such a way that the coupling latches of the fifth wheel engage the coupling bar of the tractor, the brake of the trailer being first manually set by means of the handle Wd. The hook H may'then be raised by the (handle. V*L thus releasing the movable -fra-me B. The frame being supported by the rollers B in the side sills of the` trailer frame is forced backwardly through the action of the tractor. The backward movement of the frame B serves to operate the toggle arms L, L, to which the slide bar M `is connected ;--the slide bar being supported by the roller M",which'travels in the track formed by the opposing channels N, N.` The backward movement of the slide bar serves to lift the supporting leg of the trailer which is connected by the links Q with the pivot pin Ma of the roller Mb thus raising the'supporting leg from the ound to the position indicated in dotted lines in Figure 2. As the frame B moves backward the lugs J b force upwardly the hooks V', V, and are engaged by them ;-a1l further rearward movement of the frame being prevented by the stop lu s'V? riveted to the side sills 0f the trailer. he movable frame. being now locked the trailer is in condition for hauling upon the 'release of the brake mechanism ';--1t being apparent that the portion of the frame carrying the fifth wheel is adapted to move backward and forward on its rollers against the action of the coiled springs carried by the draw bars C;-the sprin s of the draw bars absorbing all shocks o starting and stopping. v u

It will be noted that the weight of the trailer frame and its load will have a tendency tb' force the supporting leg forward resulting in a tension of the links Q and causing the shoulder formed by the forked end M of the slide bar M to bear against the stop-blocks Na;-thus a light linka e may be utilized thereby greatly reducing t e cost of construction. I

When the supporting leg is in its fOrvmovement of the divided frame and-lowering the supporting leg;

wardl inclined position the turn table carried t ereby will be in a horizontal position and free to turn in any required direction, thus relieving -the toggle mechanism of stresses that might otherwise obtain.

Having thus deribedmy invention what I claim is: l

l. In a trailer; a movableframe supported by the frame of the trailer; a rotatable fifth Wheel mechanism carried by the movable frame; a supporting leg pivoted to the trailer frame; means connected with said movable frame adapted'to raise and lower the supporting leg; means for locking'the frame at the limit of its movement in either direction and means for releasing` said locking means.

2. In a trailer; a divided movable frame supported in the frame of the trailer; spring draw bars connecting the divided portionsv of the frame together; a rotatable fifth wheel mechanism carried by one portion of said divided frame; a supporting leg pivoted to the trailer frame; means connected with said supporting leg and actuated through the for raising means for locking the frame at the limit of its movement in either direction and means for releasing said locking means.

3. In a trailer; a divided movable frame carried by the frame of the trailer; spring draw-bars connecting the divided portions of themovable frame together; an extensible member adapted to be actuated by the movi able frame; a slidable bar connected with said extehsible member; a swinging leg pivoted to the frame ofthe trailer; means connecting the swinging le with the slidable bar; means for locking the movable frame 1n its initial and ultimate position and means for alternately releasing the respective locking means. v

4. In a trailer; a folding supporting leg pivoted to the frame of the trailer; a divided movable frame supported in the walls of the traller; yieldable means adapted toconnect the divided portions of the movable frame together; a tog le mechanism connected at one end to a, xed member of the trailer frame; a slidable bar connected to the free end of the toggle mechanism; means connecting the slidable bar with the folding leg arid means for securing said movable frame in its initial and adjusted positions.

'5. In a trailer; a divided movable frame mounted upon wheels traveling upon side sills of the trailer frame; spring draw-bars connecting the divided portions of the movable frame together; a toggle mechanism connected at one end to a fixed member of the trailer frame; slidable sleeves mounted upon a cross member carried by one portion of the divided frame; a slidable bar connected to the free end of the toggle mechanism;

to project forwardly 4zontal a divided movable frame mounted upon wheels traveling upon side sills of the trailer frame; spring draw-bars connecting the divided portions of the movable frame together; a toggle mechanism connected at one end to a fixed member of the trailer frame; a slidable bar connected to the free end of the toggle mechanism; "a caster carried by the end of the slidable bar adapted to roll between'channel bars forming the frame of the trailer; links connecting the supporting leg With the pivot pin of the caster; and means for securing the movable frame in its initial and adjusted positions.

In a trailer; folding supporting legs pivoted to the frame of the trailer adapted 'at an angle to the vbody portion when supporting the latter and fitted with a turn table adapted to assume a` horiplane parallel to the bodyof the trailer when the legs are in an inclined supporting position; an axle pivoted to said turn table; supporting wheels mounted upon the axle; afslidable frame mounted in the trailer frame; and Ameans connected with the slidable frame adapted through the movement of the slidable frame to raise or lower the supporting legs.

8.- In a trailer; a dividedmovable .frameslidable in the frame of the trailer; spring draw-bars connecting the divided portions of the frame together; a rotatable fth wheel mechanism carried by one portion of said divided frame`;,means carried by said fifth wheel mechanism adapted to co-operate with suitable mechanism carried by a tractor for coupling the tractor and trailer together; a supporting leg pivoted to the trailer frame; means connected with said supporting leg and actuated through the movement of the divided frame for raising orl Ilowering the supporting leg; and means for locking the frame at the limitofl its movement in either direction. r

9. In a trailer; folding supportin legs pivoted to the frame of the trailer a apted to project at an angle to the bodyportion when supporting the latter; a turn table carried by said legs so positioned upon the legs that it may assume a horizontal plane when the legs are in an inclined supporting position ;an axle pivoted to said turn table; supporting wheels mounted upon the axle; a slidable frame mounted upon the trailer frame; a toggle mechanism connected with the slidable frame adapted lower the supporting legs; and means to relieve the toggle mechanism of stresses due *through thel movement of the slidable frame to raise or s to the weight of the trailer and its load when the legs are in their forwardly inclined supporting position.

10. In a trailer; a divided slidable frame; spring draw-bars adapted to connect said divided frame together; a. rotatable fifth Wheel mechanism carried by one portion of said slidable frame; means carried by the fifth wheel adapted to couple the trailer with a tractor; a folding supporting leg pivoted to the frame ofthe tra-iler; means connected with the other portion of the slidable frame adapted to raise or lower the supporting leg through the movement of the slidable frame; and means for locking the movable frame at the limit ot' its movement in either direction.

11. In a trailer; a divided movable frame mounted upon Wheels traveling upon the side sills of the trailer frame; spring drawbars connecting the divided portions of the `connected at one end to a fixed member of the trailer frame; slidable sleeves mounted upon a cross membercarried by one portion of the divided frame; a slidable bar connected to the free end of the toggle mechanism; a swinging leg pivoted to the trailer frame; links connecting the slidable bar with the swinging leg; rocking latch members adapted to be automatically actuated by the movable trame at the limit of its movement in either direction to secure the movable frame; and means for manually operating said latch members whereby the movable frame may be released as required.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specifica tion in the presence oit two Witnesses.

CHARLES H. LAND, JR. llritnesses:

S. E. THOMAS, JOHN CoNsIDINE. 

